From latimes.com: Alleged "dirty bomb" plotter Jose Padilla and two codefendants were
engaged in terrorism when they conspired to fight in foreign holy wars
and should spend 30 years to life in prison, a federal judge ruled
Tuesday.

The sentencing guidelines imposed by U.S. District
Judge Marcia G. Cooke seemed to indicate that, at least in the case of
37-year-old Padilla, she would heed prosecutors' call for life without
parole.

A jury convicted Padilla and his co-defendants in
August of conspiracy to murder, maim or kidnap persons abroad and
material support to terrorism.

The
federal government's allegation that Padilla had been plotting to
detonate a radioactive bomb in a U.S. city was dropped before his
four-month trial, despite having been the basis for holding the U.S.
citizen at a military brig for 3 1/2 years.

Federal sentencing
guidelines are advisory, but Cooke's rulings on various defense motions
indicated she was following them to the letter in calculating the
sentences for Padilla, his alleged recruiter Adham Amin Hassoun, and
Kifah Wael Jayyousi, a former San Diego school administrator accused of
delivering aid to Muslim fighters in foreign conflicts. Rest of Article. . . [Mark Godsey]